1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to luminaires such as downlighting and/or pendently-mounted luminaires and particularly to such luminaires having multiple reflectors arranged such that light reflected through a luminaire aperture by at least one of the reflectors is colored to produce a dramatic appearance.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of downlighting has expanded in recent years due in part to a flexibility of use of the wide variety of available downlighting luminaires as well as the ability to apply downlighting in a variety of environments requiring either general lighting, task lighting, accent lighting and the like including combinations thereof. The very nature of downlighting permits the luminaires employed to be relatively unobtrusive since downlighting luminaires are typically recessed in a ceiling or the like. However, downlighting luminaires can provide a decorative function in addition to particular lighting functions by virtue of a multitude of options involving design features of the luminaires themselves as well as characteristics of the illumination produced by downlighting luminaires of particular configurations. Downlighting luminaires of the variety characterized at least in part by decorative illuminated produced within an environmental space are known and often involve color imparted to illumination produced by lamping that generates white light but which is colored prior to exiting luminaire apertures by means of colored lenses, diffusers and the like. Such decorative downlighting luminaires are available in the marketplace and have typically been utilized to draw attention to specific areas within an environmental space or to create an environment of distinction within a space as well as to provide a visual tie to architectural elements. In such applications, decorative downlighting luminaires have previously been used to highlight specific areas within an environmental space such as a receptionist or guest services desk, the illumination produced by such decorative downlighting luminaires permitting a viewer to more easily determine a location within a relatively larger space where instructions such as directions and the like can be obtained as well as being able to recognize a feature display area such as in a retail environment, or a snack bar or the like in a lobby or bookstore, as examples. Decorative downlighting luminaires producing distinctive illumination such as colored illumination can advantageously be used to tie or complement a color pallet employed by an architect or interior designer and to create distinctive environments such as in upscale offices, gathering places, corporate lobbies and the like. Such decorative downlighting luminaires must necessarily provide distinctive capabilities when compared with standard downlighting luminaires since decorative downlighting capabilities are typically employed in environments wherein other downlighting luminaires are employed for general lighting, task lighting and the like. Decorative downlighting luminaires must also be functional and efficient and thus be capable of those usual characteristics associated with downlighting luminaires, for example, efficiency, ability to dim, production of usable light, advantageous spacing, etc. Decorative downlighting luminaires must also be easy to assembly, install and wire without the need for uncommon tools and designed such that handling of such luminaries during installation does not result in cuts, abrasions or other injury to installers. Still further, decorative downlighting luminaires must also be easily maintained by relatively inexperienced personnel such that relamping and repair is readily accomplished without the need for particular training. In maintenance situations, maintainable components such as lamping must be readily accessible.
Particular decorative downlighting luminaires presently available are configured to produce a decorative function by means of trim employed essentially at the luminaire aperture, such trim typically taking the form of glass or acrylic rings or plates of varying sizes and configurations, such rings and plates usually having integral color and being disposed in the luminaire aperture or suspended below the aperture. Certain available decorative downlighting luminaires include medallions or decorative shapes, typically transparent cones or spheres, suspended at the center of a glass or acrylic ring. Certain other prior decorative downlighting luminaires include non-glass decorative elements such as acrylic elements including metallized finishes such as brushed or natural aluminum, brass, stainless steel or perforated metal as examples. Lamping for prior decorative downlighting luminaires ranges broadly in kind from incandescent, fluorescent, HID, and the like.
The variety of decorative downlighting luminaires available in the marketplace has not fully addressed user needs especially as to desired abilities to draw attention to specific areas within a space in a dramatic manner and for tying of illumination to architectural elements of a space. While such prior decorative downlighting luminaires have employed rings of colored glass or acrylic materials as annuli about peripheries of circular luminaire apertures either within the luminaire apertures or suspended therebelow, the illumination produced by such luminaires have appearances such as are associated with light passing through a lens or diffuser. Such illumination so produced lacks a dramatic glow such as would be desired by a user within certain use environments including environments intended to be distinctive.
Similar comments can be made relative to luminaires of other description including pendently mounted luminaires whether mountable directly to a ceiling or by mounting from a track or the like. Such luminaires can also be configured according to the teachings of the invention to yield the dramatic appearance disclosed herein.
The decorative luminaires of the present invention address needs thus alluded to by providing distinctive illumination characterized by an interior shaft of light directed into a space, such shaft of light typically being white light intended to provide certain typical lighting functions, the shaft of light further being essentially surrounded by an annulus of colored light presenting an exceptionally pleasing “glow” without having the appearance of being filtered through a lens or diffuser such as is commonly disposed within a luminaire aperture. The illumination produced by the present luminaires can be readily customized to provide differing coloration of illumination with minimal modification of present decorative luminaires. The decorative luminaires of the invention provide in this respect and in other respects to be described hereinafter advances in the art not heretofore contemplated.